SUPER MARIO UPS THE ODDS ON HIS RETURN (http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/giants/2012/02/super-mario-ups-the-odds-on-his-return)

"The odds of Mario Manningham returning to the Giants just got a little
better.

The Super Bowl hero insisted that he never said he’s <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/giants/2012/02/manningham-75-percent-sure-hes-gone">“75
percent” sure he won’t be back with the Giants</a> next season. Instead, in <a href="http://newyork.cbslocal.com/?podcast_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.podtrac.com%2Fpts%2F redirect.mp3%2Fnyc.podcast.play.it%2Fmedia%2Fd0%2F d0%2Fd0%2FdZ%2FdY%2FdD%2FdL%2FZYDL_3.MP3%3Fauthtok %3D5561706397568649070_SHWMNZCQuZwED7YUuQiirlcS4o&amp; podcast_name=Mario+Manningham&amp;podcast_artist=Boome r+Esiason+and+Craig+Carton&amp;station_id=62&amp;tag=pages &amp;dcid=CBS.NY">an
interview on WFAN on Tuesday morning</a>, he put the odds at
“50-50”.

But the 25-year-old receiver also told WFAN hosts Craig Carton
and Boomer Esiason that he’s gotten the impression from the Giants that “I don’t
think they’re ready to do anything.” That could be an ominous sign for
Manningham with the opening of free agency just two weeks away.

“We’re
not sure what’s going on right now,” Maninningham said “We’re just going to take
it slow and see what’s going on, let the smoke clear a little bit. You just
never know where I’m going to end up at.”

The hot rumor has been that
Manningham, whom one league source said is hoping to get a deal worth $6-7
million per season, is a lock to land in Tampa Bay where the Bucs have a
reported $50 million in salary cap space and former Giants receivers coach Mike
Sullivan as their new offensive coordinator. Manningham dismissed that rumor as
“just words”.

“You know how the media do it,” Manningham said “I haven’t
heard anything like that until the other day. People don’t really know what’s
going on. They don’t know where I really want to go.”

So where does
Manningham want to go when he becomes a free agent on March 13?

Staying with the Giants might be impossible, especially if
Manningham really does want to be paid like a starting receiver. The Giants are
currently over the projected 2012 salary cap, which most NFL insiders believe
will be about $120 million (though there is already one report saying it could
be even less). The Giants have 21 unrestricted free agents, so giving anyone a
deal that big could be tough.

And Manningham -- who started the
game-winning drive of Super Bowl XLVI with a brilliant, 38-yard catch along the
sidelines -- didn’t sound like he was willing to take significantly less to stay
with the team that drafted him in the third round in 2008.

“Um … I’m not
sure yet,” Manningham said. “I have to see what’s going on with the rest of the
receivers. I’m not sure, man. I’m not sure.”

That reality is why it made
sense when he was quoted in the <a href="http://www.vindy.com/news/2012/feb/25/manningham-gets-key-to-city/?newswatch">Youngstown
(Ohio) Vindicator</a> on Saturday saying he thought there was a “75 percent”
chance he wouldn’t return to the Giants next season. Speaking at an event at his
old high school, where he was being honored and presented with the key to his
home city, also indicated his role in the offense would be a factor in where he
signed.

“I just want the ball more,” he said. “That’s all.”

With
the Giants last season, Manningham caught 39 passes for 523 yards in 12 games,
but he has clearly fallen behind both Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz in the
offensive pecking order. In fact, when asked on WFAN whether it was more likely
the Giants would re-sign him or give a new contract to Cruz, Manningham said
“They’ll probably go with Vic.”</p>

And where would that leave Manningham?</p>

"I just want to go wherever God leads me. That’s all," Manninghame said. "He
won’t make a bad decision. I just want to go to somebody good that I can compete
for the Super Bowl again."
</p>

nygsb42champs

02-28-2012, 02:42 PM

I would say he only has about a 5% chance of returning.

Diamondring

02-28-2012, 03:13 PM

Mario is a very good player and he should try to get more money but he also needs to be football smart and go where there are at least two other players who could give him more chances to get one on one majority of the time.

BigBlue1971

02-28-2012, 05:05 PM

SUPER MARIO UPS THE ODDS ON HIS RETURN (http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/giants/2012/02/super-mario-ups-the-odds-on-his-return)

"The odds of Mario Manningham returning to the Giants just got a little better.

The Super Bowl hero insisted that he never said he’s “75 percent” sure he won’t be back with the Giants (http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/giants/2012/02/manningham-75-percent-sure-hes-gone) next season. Instead, in an interview on WFAN on Tuesday morning (http://newyork.cbslocal.com/?podcast_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.podtrac.com%2Fpts%2F redirect.mp3%2Fnyc.podcast.play.it%2Fmedia%2Fd0%2F d0%2Fd0%2FdZ%2FdY%2FdD%2FdL%2FZYDL_3.MP3%3Fauthtok %3D5561706397568649070_SHWMNZCQuZwED7YUuQiirlcS4o&amp; podcast_name=Mario+Manningham&amp;podcast_artist=Boome r+Esiason+and+Craig+Carton&amp;station_id=62&amp;tag=pages &amp;dcid=CBS.NY), he put the odds at “50-50”.

But the 25-year-old receiver also told WFAN hosts Craig Carton and Boomer Esiason that he’s gotten the impression from the Giants that “I don’t think they’re ready to do anything.” That could be an ominous sign for Manningham with the opening of free agency just two weeks away.

“We’re not sure what’s going on right now,” Maninningham said “We’re just going to take it slow and see what’s going on, let the smoke clear a little bit. You just never know where I’m going to end up at.”

The hot rumor has been that Manningham, whom one league source said is hoping to get a deal worth $6-7 million per season, is a lock to land in Tampa Bay where the Bucs have a reported $50 million in salary cap space and former Giants receivers coach Mike Sullivan as their new offensive coordinator. Manningham dismissed that rumor as “just words”.

“You know how the media do it,” Manningham said “I haven’t heard anything like that until the other day. People don’t really know what’s going on. They don’t know where I really want to go.”

So where does Manningham want to go when he becomes a free agent on March 13?

Staying with the Giants might be impossible, especially if Manningham really does want to be paid like a starting receiver. The Giants are currently over the projected 2012 salary cap, which most NFL insiders believe will be about $120 million (though there is already one report saying it could be even less). The Giants have 21 unrestricted free agents, so giving anyone a deal that big could be tough.

And Manningham -- who started the game-winning drive of Super Bowl XLVI with a brilliant, 38-yard catch along the sidelines -- didn’t sound like he was willing to take significantly less to stay with the team that drafted him in the third round in 2008.

“Um … I’m not sure yet,” Manningham said. “I have to see what’s going on with the rest of the receivers. I’m not sure, man. I’m not sure.”

That reality is why it made sense when he was quoted in the Youngstown (Ohio) Vindicator (http://www.vindy.com/news/2012/feb/25/manningham-gets-key-to-city/?newswatch) on Saturday saying he thought there was a “75 percent” chance he wouldn’t return to the Giants next season. Speaking at an event at his old high school, where he was being honored and presented with the key to his home city, also indicated his role in the offense would be a factor in where he signed.

“I just want the ball more,” he said. “That’s all.”

With the Giants last season, Manningham caught 39 passes for 523 yards in 12 games, but he has clearly fallen behind both Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz in the offensive pecking order. In fact, when asked on WFAN whether it was more likely the Giants would re-sign him or give a new contract to Cruz, Manningham said “They’ll probably go with Vic.”</P>

And where would that leave Manningham?</P>

"I just want to go wherever God leads me. That’s all," Manninghame said. "He won’t make a bad decision.<FONT color=#0000ff size=4> <FONT size=5>I just want to go to somebody good that I can compete for the Super Bowl again."
</FONT></FONT></P>

</P>

</P>

then Rio should just stay right here and take the Giants offer. he'll compete then!</P>

JesseJames

02-28-2012, 06:30 PM

Mario said he just wants the ball more, so maybe he isn't going to ask for the big bucks and he stays.. :)

CTLadyBlue

02-28-2012, 06:35 PM

Mario said he just wants the ball more, so maybe he isn't going to ask for the big bucks and he stays.. :)

Maybe he should change his name to MarT.O.. "Gimme the damn, ball. I want the ball. Throw the ball to me more". Me, me, me, me,me! Why doesn't he take a page outta Jacob's book who gave up part of his salary in order to keep Bradshaw. What did Jacobs get out of it - another superbowl ring!

Giants - don't let MarT.O. hold you by the puppet strings. He thinks he can get it better elsewhere, so be it. Let him go. He'll be sitting at home in January.

I would say he only has about a 5% chance of returning. I would put it at 0%</P>

^^this</P>

RoanokeFan

02-28-2012, 08:31 PM

You really can;t fault any receiver for wanting the ball more. Mario has made some spectacular catches but he also has had route running issues, especially when along the side lines and not giving himself enough cushion. In the Super Bowl he had a similar opportunity to the miracle catch along the right sideline and was out of bounds.

We should just wish him well.

bLuereverie

02-28-2012, 09:21 PM

Pretty sure Mario isn't exactly known for his math.

JJC7301

02-29-2012, 01:03 AM

I would say he only has about a 5% chance of returning.
More like 1%. He'd be crazy not to take # 2 WR money from another team. Giants just won't be able to match it.

JMFP2

02-29-2012, 01:31 AM

I think he'll be back.....or he can Alvin Harper himself.

buddy33

02-29-2012, 09:18 AM

It's more like a 99% chance that he will not be back. The Giants are over the cap now an there is no way they can pay him what he will be offered. There are some teams like Tampa and Washington that have tons of room under the cap that could use a WR.

Hope I'm wrong because I've always liked him, but he is going to get paid.